


Queerplatonic Shipweek 2020

by Shadowinflame



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Cake, Coughing, Dancing, Fluff, Hanahaki Disease, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Masquerade, Other, Queerplatonic Relationships, Stargazing, coughing up blood, finishing each other's sentences, puking, secret meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26967844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowinflame/pseuds/Shadowinflame
Summary: Queerplatonic shipweek! Hosted onthe Rarepair Haven Tumblr!Even though I'm in a queerplatonic relationship I think I'm shit at writing them xD Hope you all enjoy my entries anyway!
Relationships: Cross & Nightmare, Dream & Hearts, Dream & Nightmare, Dream & Toriel, Error & Ink, Nightmare & Reaper, Sans & Sans (Undertale), dream & blue
Comments: 46
Kudos: 71





	1. Day 2 - Nightmare & Cross: Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2  
> Prompts: Stargazing | ~~Movie Nights~~  
>  Pairing: Cross & passive!Nightmare  
> Length in Words: ~ 700

Nightmare turned around as he heard someone climb up the hill to where he was sitting. He moved away from the tree a little. Not too far, always on watch, just far enough to have a better view on the sky. 

"I'm surprised Dream let you off that easily", Nightmare chuckled, turning back around. 

"It's not like he owns me, Nightmare", Cross answered, sitting down next to the other. 

"You came alone?"

"Dream is sound asleep down at the tree." 

Nightmare sighed, smiling slightly. "That's good." 

A comfortable silence spread between them for a moment, only broken by the slight wind that ruffled the leafs of the tree, a dog howling in the distance and the owls singing their song in the night. 

"The sky is pretty clear today", Cross hummed, breaking the silence. "Not a cloud to be seen, it's perfect for watching the stars." 

"It really is", Nightmare sighed, leaning his head against Cross' shoulder. "So, tell me.. what do you see." 

Cross pointed up at the sky, directing Nightmare gaze in a vague direction. "That up there is the current season's zodiac sign", he said. "We call it 'gemini'." 

Nightmare looked at him. "Gemini?", he asked, "So.. twins, huh? How fitting." Nightmare looked up at the sky for a long time and when he finally spoke again, he wasn't looking at Cross. "So, are they.. holding hands?" 

"They are." 

"That's nice", Nightmare hummed, his hand slowly travelling over to Cross', intertwining their fingers. "They should be happy, no one deserves to suffer." 

Cross stayed silent, not sure how to answer and.. it wasn't a question anyway. Instead, he just gripped Nightmare's hand a little tighter, making sure the other knew he was there. 

"I should.. Tell him... some time later. But.. I doubt I can do it without you." 

"I told you, I'll always be there for you. I won't leave you, I'm your guard now." 

" _Our_ guard", Nightmare reminded him. "You said it yourself, Dream needs you as much as I do. We.. value you as our.. partner." 

"Partner?", Cross asked, a little surprised. 

"Saying it like that just feels right, somehow. Not quite love, but.. partners." 

Cross stayed silent for a moment once again. He knew what Nightmare meant, felt it too, but he had as little words for it as the small guardian did. 

"More than friends...", Cross mumbled. "I.. feel that way too. A deep inner connection, the need to stay together.." 

Nightmare nodded, Cross could feel it against his shoulder. Then he pointed up again, at the twins in the sky. 

"Where's their guardian?", he asked. "They should have a partner too, don't you think?" 

Cross looked at Nightmare for a moment, surprised at the other's train of thoughts, but Nightmare's eyes were fixated on the sky, the twins he saw up there. 

Cross looked up for a long time, eyes stripping the unreachable sea of lights clean in his efforts until he pointed to a bright glowing star a little away from the zodiac sign that caught the smaller one's attention. 

"That one", he spoke finally. "That's your bright, strong protector, always close enough to keep you away from harm." 

Nightmare chuckled. "Yes, I like that. Let's name it 'Cross' then, shall we?" 

"I think that sounds like a good idea", Cross agreed, smiling. 

"Don't leave, okay?", Nightmare whined suddenly, cuddling a little closer to Cross. 

"I won't", he said sternly. "Even if both of you loose your light, I'll burn bright enough for the three of us!" 

Nightmare hummed, satisfied with the answer. "That sounds nice", he hummed, slowly falling asleep. "I'd like to believe that." 

"You won't have to doubt it for even one second", Cross whispered to a sleeping Nightmare. 

He stayed on the hill just a little longer, looking up at the twins and 'Cross', humming a lullaby while his hands caressed the back of the little guardian by his side. 

"You won't have to doubt it for even one second", he repeated before he picked Nightmare up and carried him down to the tree, placing him next to his sleeping brother. After that he sat down next to them, looking over at the village just a little longer before sleep took him in its confines as well. 


	2. Day 3 - Dream & Hearts: Cutting words (with a side of Ink & Error)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3  
> Prompts: ~~Cuddles~~ | Cutting Words  
> Pairing: Hearts & Dream (with a side of Ink & Error)  
> Length in Words: ~ 500

"Hey Hearts, have you seen my-", Dream stumbled down into the kitchen at the place the two of them had over at Ink's doodlesphere.

"-crown?", Hearts guessed, finishing Dream's sentence. "On your head, darling. You also left your food in the-"

"-microwave?", Dream sighed. "Today is not my day now, is it?"

Hearts moved over, giving Dream a well deserved hug. "You just overworked yourself again, sunshine. Take a rest for once, I am sure Ink can manage himself for a day."

"Hey, you know I heard that!", Ink complained out of the next room.

"Yeah, yeah, so what's your protest about?", Hearts asked. 

"I can handle myself for at least..." a break followed and both Hearts and Dream looked at each other, knowing Ink probably looked at his scarf. 

"Uuugh, what were we talking about?", Ink asked after a minute.

Dream and Hearts just sighed and Hearts pressed a button on the microwave to reheat Dream's food. He would persuade the other to a nice day on the beach, even if he had to drag him along.

Dream stepped out of the portal and was immediately hit by the soft breeze, smelling of seawater. He closed his eyes and let it wash over him.

"Nice, isn't it?", Hearts asked him as he stepped out of the portal behind Dream.

"I never.. spend time at the beach that wasn't fighting", Dream sighed. "It's nice here."

Hearts beamed, happy so see Dream a little more relaxed. "And now, get out of your shoes!", he told Dream.

"Wha- why?"

"To walk along the shore barefoot, of course!", Hearts smiled, already getting out of his shoes. 

Dream wanted to question it, but Hearts seemed so sure about it and so he just did it as well. Holding their shoes close they both stepped into the shallow water.

"Ha-", Dream called out a little surprised. "Woah, that feels-"

"-amazing, doesn't it? It's one of the best things to do if it's too cold to go swimming!"

Dream blushed light yellow as he kept walking next to Hearts. It felt really nice and he was glad he had someone who forced him to take breaks every now and then. 

"It feels like all the exhaustion is just getting washed of my bones by the water", Dream sighed.

"See, I told you this would be great! Also, you really needed a break from Ink, that guy is just-"

"-chaotic, yeah. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he was off co-"

"-mitting arson while we're gone? Yeah, me neither."

Meanwhile, Ink sat next to Error in the other's anti-void, waiting for Undernovella to start, talking about this and that.

"-and they just _left me_ , can you imagine!!?", Ink complained about Dream and Hearts.

"I mean, actually, yes", Error said, chuckling lightly. Ink looked at him offended.

"But the worst about them is how they-"

"-finish each other's sentences", Error finished for Ink. "I know, absolutely horrifying."

The two looked at each other for a long minute before both of them left through a portal of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dorks


	3. Day 4 -  Dream & Blue: Bottle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4  
> Prompts: ~~Spoon~~ | Bottle  
> Pairing: Dream & Blue  
> Length in Words: ~ 500

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Medieval AU with prince!Dream and fisher!Blue, just to clear things up haha

Fishing the bottle out of the river that flowed right behind the castle he was stuck in, Dream wandered off to his usual hiding place, removing the cap and taking out the note. Then he began reading. 

_Dear D_ , it read, _of course I can't tell for certain when and if at all this message will reach you, but I just really need to tell you! Today I caught a large fish while out on the sea, so large it didn't even fit in my bucket. It was too large for me to even consider using it for dinner for me and my brother so I thought I'd sell it to the manufacturer, but.. On my way to the market to sell the rest I caught that day a noble offered me an incredible sum for it! It was enough to buy meat for dinner and still have money left, so I actually cooked something that wasn't fish this time! I guess I could have done better, but I so rarely get meat, I can't exactly experiment with it a lot.  
Oh well, anyway! As I'm writing this, I hope you have something nice to eat as well, whatever time of the day it is right now!_

Dream laughed. He didn't need to worry about food, stuck in the castle and flooded with sweet pastries as he was, but 'B' being concerned for him always warmed his heart. The next line however.. 

_Speaking of that.. I've been thinking, dreaming about meeting you a lot lately.. The weather has been so nice recently and you always talk about how you want to get out more often.. I really want to take you on my boat some day, show you the endless bed of water that blesses me with food and money..._

Dream had to wipe away a tear that threatened to fall onto the soft paper in his hands. 

"You wouldn't understand, B", he mumbled, looking up at the leafs of the tree he sat under. "I'm afraid you would stop sending me these if you knew who I was.." 

"Even though it seems like I have everything, there's a lot I lack, too. Freedom, friends, a person like you..." 

_Though.. I do understand if you can't. You always seem busy too, please remember to rest! I don't want to loose you. Even if we will never meet, I consider you the closest friend I ever had and I want to keep writing with you for a lot longer._  
_With the biggest greetings and hugs you can imagine_  
_-B_

The prince smiled, holding the note close. He didn't know this person other than through their letters, had neither a name nor a face for them and yet.. they meant everything to him. The letters always smelled like fish and he learned to appreciate that. Now it always drew a smile on his face, the smell reminding him of the mysterious stranger. 

Humming to himself he got up from his position, walking back to the castle. It was time to write an answer and pray that the river carried it over to this person that was the closest to him, though the furthest away.


	4. Day 5 - Nightmare & Reaper: Breathe | Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: Breathe | Promise  
> Pairing: Nightmare & Reaper  
> Length in Words: ~ 800

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for all the triggers and angst that comes with Hanahaki

Nightmare stumbled through the forest, holding his chest as he was wheezing. He knew this day would come and he wanted to be as far away from his gang as he could. 

As his legs started to tremble he leaned against a tree, sinking down on it as the coughing started. Magic mixed with blood spilled from his throat and tears formed in his single socket. He was a fool, he knew that much.

Hanahaki was the disease of lovers and Nightmare didn't love anyone, didn't know how. But he felt, felt quite a lot. Emotions, he had enough of them. In fact, he had enough to get sick because of a certain god, even though he was sure it wasn't love he felt.

And he hated it. He, the lord of nightmares, having a disease that so obviously screamed lovesick fool! It really couldn't be worse. Giving up his immortality because of something like that..

He bent forward, puking blue petals stained by his now teal magic. He hated it, hated how nice their colours mixed. The coughing didn't stop.

Suddenly he felt a change in the air and, looking up, he saw the god of death himself in all his glory, wings just folding behind him.

"Nightmare?", he called out shocked.

Nightmare looked up at him, a tear running down his face. "Hey Reaper", he smiled one of his rare, genuine smiles. "So, how long do I have?"

"Better tell me..", Reaper whispered angrily, gripping his scythe just a little tighter. "Who did you fall for that left you stupid enough to die for them!?"

Nightmare still smiled at Reaper but was interrupted by his own coughing before he could even say anything. Reaper knelt down next to him, placing his scythe to the side and holding Nightmare up by the shoulders.

"Damn it", he screamed. "Breathe, Nightmare, breathe for god's sake. Don't give up on me now you idiot!"

Nightmare's coughing didn't stop until a stem protruded from his mouth. Tugging at it he revealed a blue rose, all covered in teal magic, thorns glistening with red blood. He gripped it tighter, chuckling as he held it, thorns cutting into his stained bones, making blood run over his trembling fingers. 

Looking Reaper directly in the eyes as he said: "I don't love you, not like that, but still.."

"Me?"

"And yet, who would have thought that longing for someone to be more than a fleeting passerby in your life could get you sick all the same? I'm looking up to you, really. Death is.. such a scary concept..."

"To hear that from the guardian of negativity himself..", Reaper whispered, shaking his head. "But if it isn't love you feel-"

“It's.. still difficult for me to face that fact, but.."

“You're a touch starved idiot?”, Reaper finished for him. As Nightmare just looked up at him as if the gad just shot him, Reaper continued. "I never knew.. how to tell you. But I really enjoy your company. How you never treat me like a God but an equal. Just another monster, someone who deserves to be treated with kindness. I love to see how you handle your 'gang'. I realised that.. all this time, you were just as misunderstood as I was and.. I wanted to be closer to you, too. To show you that I understand. To hug someone who wouldn't die at my touch.."

"You.. what.?", Nightmare looked at Reaper, shocked to hear his feelings returned.

Reaper smiled, putting his scythe away as he saw Nightmare's lifeforce getting restored. "You're good now", he said. "But I have to wonder.. why didn't you get rid of them?"

"They say you may loose your emotions completely", Nightmare told him, leaning back against the tree. "And if I lose my emotions.. what else would be left? I'd be the dark, evil husk everyone makes me all the time already. My boys are better of without me instead of suffering like that."

Reaper stood up again, reaching his hand out for Nightmare to take. The other grabbed it and let the god drag him up.

"You really are an idiot", Reaper laughed.

"I.. am aware", Nightmare answered. "But honestly.. so are you."

"And all of your boys, really."

"Heh, yes, they certainly are", Nightmare had to agree.

"Soo.. uhm.."

"Over to my place?", Nightmare suggested. "Hot cocoa, whatever Horror cooked and a stupid movie? ..And just maybe.. both of us could get the hugs we yearned for?"

"Sounds great", Reaper smiled and intertwined his fingers with the negative guardian as the latter formed a portal. A slight blush formed on his face as he saw that the smile never left Nightmare's face.

Reaper wouldn't be able to touch any of Nightmare's boys, so there wouldn't be any cuddlepiles for him during the upcoming movie night. But he could touch Nightmare and that alone.. meant a lot to him.

_"Just promise me.. you won't risk your live for something this stupid again." ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Touch starved idiots, I love them!


	5. Day 6 - Dream & Toriel: Quiet whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6  
> Prompts: ~~Laughter~~ | Quiet Whispers  
> Pairing: Dream & Toriel  
> Length in Words: ~ 700

Dream had a secret too, like many people. And like many, he tried his best to keep it that, took extra precautions to make sure to hide his steps. Not that.. he really needed to. Ink had no sense of time and Blue still had an own AU to take care of. 

“Hey, someone home?”, he called out as he sat down on the snowy side of the door to the ruins. It was a pacifist timeline, long abandoned by their human. Dream didn't know how far they got, but it seemed they hadn't shown up in years. The inhabitants didn't seem to mind, living their lives like always. The AU had a lot of positivity because of it and that helped Dream to relax.

“Oh dear, is that you?”, Toriel called from the other side. “It has been some time since your last visit, I hope you didn't have a lot of trouble?”

Dream sighed, if she only knew. “No, I'm fine”, he hummed, trying to sound as honest as possible. He should've known by now, you can't fool an old lady.

“I can hear you aren't”, she said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It's nothing of importance”, Dream sighed. “Really, just the normal overall chaos.”

“Is your brother giving you problems again?”, Toriel asked.

Dream froze. Really though, she only meant it good. It was his mistake to ever mention him, lost in telling stories of the good old times. “N-no”, Dream stuttered. “H-he's.. he's good. I told you, he has friends now, people to take care of him.” _He doesn't need me anymore. Not the way I need him._

“I can tell you're still worried about him. Is it because you don't see him as often as you would like?”

 _Yes and no_ , Dream thought. “I.. would prefer not to talk about him right now”, Dream said. He was here to get his mind off these things, not to be reminded of his daily struggle.

“I see”, Toriel hummed in her kind voice. “My apologies. I wish I could hug you right now, but you refuse to come inside my dear. But there are other things to warm the soul. Have you been eating alright lately?”

Eaten? Dream couldn't remember the last time he didn't microwave some five-minute fast food from a store in Underfell. “Y-yeah, I'm eating okay”, he answered, laughing half-heartedly. 

“So you aren't”, Toriel concluded. “Give me five minutes, I'll be right back!”

Dream let out a surprised sound, looking behind himself as if he'd expect the doors to move, but nothing happened. He sighed and leaned back against it again, waiting like he was told to. 

After about five minutes the door next to him opened just wide enough for a plate with a piece of cake and a fork to pass through, then it closed again. 

“I promise, I didn't look at you”, Toriel told him. “I just wanted you to have something to keep you from starving my dear. I did not have the time to cook you a proper meal because I know you will leave again soon, but I recently finished baking this pie, so I wanted you to have a piece. Eat it as long as it's still warm so you won't freeze out there.”

Dream took the plate and looked at the freshly baked butterscotch-cinnamon pie on it. It was warm and emanating a fine aroma only fresh pie had. Dream picked up the fork and carefully picked at the pie before lifting a piece to his mouth. 

He only ever heard of the beautiful pies Toriel made but never got to taste one himself, always on the run, always too little time.   
Tears rose to his eyes as he got overwhelmed by the taste. He felt it warm his insides, felt the love that must have went into baking this masterpiece. 

“Thank you”, he whispered after he swallowed the first bite. “It tastes lovely.”

That day he left the AU, his spirits refreshed and his energy renewed more than other times.   
He had a secret. A relationship he cherished even though he didn't have words describe it.   
He didn't need words though, because feelings were enough for an empath like him.


	6. Day 7 - Dream & Nightmare: Don’t Leave | Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Just a Dance (Stay)  
> Prompts: Don’t Leave | Let Go  
> Pairing: Dream & Nightmare  
> Length in Words: ~1.8k
> 
> Did not write them as brothers here! Feel free to interprete them how you like though!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally planned as a stand-alone one-shot, this one is a little longer and actually has a title! xD  
> It's also the one I did [these drawings](https://theblackbutterfly02.tumblr.com/post/631667041669087232/guess-what-i-decided-to-draw-something-for-day) for!

It was that time of the year again. Nightmare was holding a masquerade in his castle. He never really was one for all those fancy festivities, they took quite an effort to prepare, seeing as they have to raid other AUs for resources and all the cleaning up to do afterwards. But they also lifted the mood of his crew, with them being able to invite all kinds of friends and mutuals from other AUs, so in the end, just maybe, it was worth the trouble.   
It was also the one and only occasion in which Nightmare would wear a suit.

Nightmare was just walking down the hall as he felt the unmistakable feeling of a certain someone's aura. There was only one person that made him feel like this and yet, it was impossible for them to be there at this very moment. Lead by confused curiosity he followed the feeling of that aura. 

It lead him to a man, about his height, dressed in dark green and beige with yellow embroidery, masked like everyone else, standing at one of the tables. He took his hand and pulled him off to one of the darker corners of the room.

"Dream!", he whispered. 

"Nightmare", the other answered, not shocked at all despite the sudden action. He looked Nightmare up and down for a moment – the other didn't have his tentacles formed, probably to keep the outfit as clean as possible - before averting his eyes completely, looking to the ground. "You found me out pretty quick. I was hoping to get one or two dances, possibly with you before we had to drop our disguises." 

"You know I can feel you as soon as we're in the same AU", Nightmare reminded him. "But that doesn't matter. Just tell me: why are you here?" 

"I missed you", Dream admitted simply. "It's been months since the last time we met outside of battle. I just.. wanted to see you." 

"Dream..."

"I'm sorry, I know you don't want me anywhere near your castle; anywhere near your crew if it's not a battle, but...", Dream sighed. "I'll leave, don't worry. Just.. just give me one dance, that's all I'm asking." 

Nightmare sighed, then took both of Dream's hands into his and let both of them disappear in a puddle of goop.

"You know I can't stand it if you teleport us like this", Dream coughed once they appeared in a completely different room. 

"I know and I am thoroughly sorry", Nightmare hummed, letting go of Dream's hands. "But we can't risk anyone else finding out who you are.”

“They won't look that closely”, Dream sighed. “It's a masquerade, Nighty.”

Nightmare shook his head, looking away. “A little carefulness never hurt anyone”, he said.

“Where's the fun in that”, Dream mumbled, stepping a little closer to Nightmare. As the other didn't react Dream took a moment to look around the room Nightmare got them too. 

It was dark, no light shining in through the panorama wall of windows as the moon refused to show itself, letting the dark of the night take over. A huge array of mirrors lined the opposite wall. One of these rooms used for ballet practice it seemed. Dream had to wonder why Nightmare had such a room in his castle.

Now that it was completely silent between them Dream could hear the noise from the great hall right below him. And it seemed that a new piece was just started.

Nightmare heard it as well. “You came for a dance, right?”, he asked, offering his hand to Dream. “So, will you grant me this one?”

Dream beamed and took Nightmare's hand. This was what he longed for and he couldn't bring himself to say no to the other. 

It was one of those melodies you danced to never quite touching, moving around each other like predator and prey. A smile formed on Dream's face as he was reminded of the two of them playing back when everything was still innocent and lovely, both of them just two kids, unaware of their roles as guardians or their nature as tree-spirits. 

They bowed as the song came to an end and Dream looked down to the floor again, sighing. The break wasn't long and the piano started playing almost immediately again in the hall below them. Dream's eyes widened as he recognized the melody, looking up at Nightmare.

“This one”, he whispered. “Allow me to ask you out for this one?”

“This one?”, Nightmare seemed a little surprised. “Why this out of all your options?” 

"I really want to be closer to you", Dream admitted. 

"Dream.." 

The song was a lot slower than the one played before, asking for more contact between them. Nightmare nodded, stepping up to Dream and allowing the other to rest his hands on Nightmare's chest while he slipped his arms around Dream's waist.

Dream took a shaky breath as trembling hands frantically started caressing the other's ribs through the clothes, carefully avoiding certain places. Old wounds, cracks received during the corruption because his body was too weak to hold all of it, mended by the liquid that covered him but never quite healed. They hurt, from time to time and Dream knew all of them, knew not to touch them. Despite being apart as often and as long as they were, they still knew each others bodies better than their own. 

Nightmare leaned closer and let it happen. He knew to leave Dream the time he needed, knew the distance pained him as much as it hurt Nightmare himself. 

"I missed you", Dream whispered, voice breaking halfway through the sentence. "I missed you and it hurt. I missed yo-", he didn't get to finish this one, Nightmare pulling him into a kiss, tender and loving and Dream's hands stopped their movement. 

"I missed you too", Nightmare whispered as they parted, tears glistening in both their eyes. 

They weren't lovers, even if everyone would probably think so, looking at them the way they were now. They had something else, a bond that made them yearn for the other's presence. They were incomplete without the other, a friendship that grew stronger over the years they spend below the giant appletree. 

“Eternity is a pretty long time without you”, Dream mumbled, head pressed against Nightmare's shoulder. “I didn't ask for immortality.”

“I also wish we could see each other more often”, Nightmare told him. “But..”

“Why”, Dream spat. “Why can't we just call a truce?!”

“Dream..”

“Sorry, I..”, Dream sobbed, voice shaking. “I just really.. don't know how much longer I can do this.”

Nightmare stopped their movement as the song stopped, mind full of things to tell Dream, yet empty of all the right words to use. Instead, he said: “We are together right now and the night is still young. You asked for one or two dances, but let's make it.. at least one more, alright?”

Dream nodded against Nightmare's shoulder. "How could I ever decline such a nice offer?"

And so they danced, still hearing the music from the great hall bellow them, soft and slow, just perfect for their reunion. Dream started humming with the faint tune, mimicking the sound of the piano while they swayed back and forth, arms wrapped around each other. The clouds finally parted and the soft light of the full moon illuminated the room, reflecting off the mirrors on the wall, engulfing their dancing figures in it's cold light. Nightmare looked down at his partner and even though Dream was still wearing his mask the moonlight shone in his eyes, making them glow a little. 

Nightmare was reminded of the way Dream's eyes used to glow in the sun's light when they were playing at the river back in their AU, as the days were filled with soft hands and giggles, before the villagers came. Both of them were happier back then, but Dream's eyes kept their glow, if not their light. A lot of things were broken beyond repair between them, but there were enough pieces left for them to built off of. Enough to rebuilt their relationship, even if it would be a rocky path. They could do it, they just had to be a little more honest with each other this time.

Dream was looking at Nightmare too, appreciating the way the other looked, regal with the moons light on his form. So different from how he was back in the old days, yet strangely the same. His eyes full of never ending curiosity and wisdom, but also sadness and an old longing that they both shared.

Dream wondered if anyone already noticed Nightmare's absence at the party, questioned if they would need him to call an end to it as both of them kept dancing long after the music stopped, still swaying to a tune that only they heard, something old and long forgotten, entranced by each other's eyes, not wanting this moment to end.

And yet, it had to end eventually.

Dream stopped moving, startling Nightmare a little, making him look at Dream.

“At the end of the ball”, Dream started, hand moving up to his mask “The participants can choose to take off their masks.”

He lowered his hand, taking his mask off to reveal his face to Nightmare. 

Nightmare stared at Dream in disbelief for a moment, before saying: "So.. you're really not wearing your crown?" 

"You aren't wearing yours either, are you?", Dream joked as if that was something new. Then he shook his head. "No", he said. "I'm no guardian today. We should have never.. let something like that get between us. For this night at least, I'm just Dream, a boy who longed to see the partner he's been parted from for too long." He paused for a moment, then added: "Isn't that how you always wanted it, though? Just the two of us and no predestined roles to separate us?" 

"Just the two of us", Nightmare mumbled, caressing Dreams head - more precisely, the place where the crown was missing. After a moment of consideration he embraced Dream in a loving hug.   
“Dream-”, he chocked out, voice breaking before he even started talking.

“Hmm?”, Dream hummed in question.

“Stay?”

Dream pulled away from Nightmare, looking him directly in the eye as he said: “Maybe another time, Nightingale. You know that I, just as well as you, have things to attend to in the morning. But do not fret dear, we will certainly find time and place to meet up again, somewhere in the future.”

Dream stepped through a glowing portal he formed behind himself, giving Nightmare a small wave with the hand and a smile before he disappeared. 

_For the sun and the moon resume their dance until the world around them shatters._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All he could ever ask for~
> 
> !!! Thanks to everyone who actually read my entries for this amazing event!! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!


End file.
